Felting hat bodies



June 30, 1942. K, REYNOLDS AL "2,288,572

FELTING HAT. BODIES Filed Dec. 31, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 RNEY Patented June 30, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE means I noun 1:. nfifffnfii ozgfwm non-- bury, Com, assignors to The Mallory Hat Company, Danbnry, Conm, a corporation of, Connecticut Application December 31, 1938, Serial No, 248,893

25 Claims. (01. 28-6! This invention relates to felting of hat bodies; particularly hat bodies made of fur felt.

One of the objects of this. invention isto provide a practical and inexpensive method and apparatus for improving the felting or sizing" of felt hat bodies and to increase the efliciency cf heretofore known methods and apparatus: Another object is to provide a practical and re-' liable method and apparatus for maintaining continuity of operation or of high output of known types or forms of felting or sizing machines, such as "multi-roller sizing machines. Another object is to provide a practical and inexpensive apparatus capable of rapid association with known types of sizing machines for coact- Ting with the latter in such a way as to increase compact and practical apparatus for both crozing and stacking hat bodies.

Another object is to provide for the simple and eflicient transfer of hat bodies from thepoint or station where one stage of sizing operation is coinpletedto the point or stage 'where the succeeding stage of sizing is to be commenced. Another object isto provide a method and.- apparatus for utilizing the path or direction of such transfer of the hat bodies to eifect. a stage of sizing or felting action on the hat bodies, and

the efficiency of the sizing or felting operation- 7 and to decrease the manual labor and effort required on the part of the attendant or attendants;

Another object is to provide a sizing or felting apparatus in which continuity of operation upon hat bodies may be maintained with minimum of manual labor or effort. Another object preferably and more particularly to utilize as part of the apparatus for eifectiing such transfer" a sizing or felting machine to effect a sizing in the course of such transfer. Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for effecting substantial continuity of sizing action on a lot 1 or succession of hat bodies by several sizing or felting machines so that the succession of hat bodies is subjected successively to the sizing action of the sizing machines; another object is.

to carry out this last-mentioned object in such a way that efiicient and dependable manual supervision of the operations on the hat bodies may be effected; Other objects will be in, part obvious or in part-pointed out hereinafter;

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements,

arangements of .partsand in the several steps and relation and order of each of the same to one or more of the others, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the ment-to or association with known types of sizing machines to receive the output of the latter, perform such additional operations as are needed to prepare the hat bodies for the next stage of operation by such sizing machines, and then deliver the hat bodies to the input end of the sizing machine for the next stage of sizing operation thereon.

Another object is to provide a compact and efl'icient crozing' and delivery apparatus for receiving hat bodies at the completion of one stage of sizing operation to prepare and deliver them for the next stage of sizing, and t-omalr'e possible such interrelation of such apparatus with the felting or sizing apparatus as will insure continuit'y-of operation of the latter and hence high output and high efliciency Another object is to provide a compact, practical and eflici'ent erozing apparatus that will be capableof interrelation with one or more sizing machines to prepare hatbodies for the, succeeding stage of sizing operation. Another object is to provide a dependable,

application of which will be indicated in the following'claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the mechanical features of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view, principally diagrammatic, showing a preferred arrangement, and apparatus interrelating two sizing machines;

Figure 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of a crozer and stacker mechanism employed in the arrangement of Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 2, as seen along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the apparatus latter;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation of the driving connections of certain of the parts or the apparatus of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic, end view of the of the sizing machines;

as it emerges from one Figure 4 is a similar view of a hat body showing its form at the termination of the crozing stage; Figure 4 is a view like that of Figure 3, with certain parts omitted, showing a modified form of certain parts of the apparatus of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a'front elevation, principally dia grammatic, as seen from the bottom or from the top in Figure 1, of atransfer mechanism 1 showing one form of action tightens up the felt, increases its thickness, and diminishes the dimensions of the hat bodies, thus effecting what we shall term a "stage of felting or sizing. The hat bodies emerge in two similar rows from the exit end X of the machine 8 at the same rate at which the feeding rolls F enter the hat bodies into the machine. But in effecting this stage of sizing,

lol

'Figures 9 and 10 are diagrammatic representations of other forms of control arrangements and circuits.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring first to Figure 1, there are indicated diagrammatically several units of apparatus which are duplicated, in the illustrative embodiment, where two sizing or felting machines are to be interrelated in the carrying out of certain oftheobjects of this invention. The sizing machines, which may be of any suitable form, such as the known type of multi-roller sizing machine, are diagrammatically indicated at S and S and their details of construction need not be shown or described excepting to note that they have entry ends or feed entrances E E", respectively, into or to which the hat bodies are fed by suitable feeding means, usually and preferably taking the form of driven feed rollers F F respec-' tively, and that the two multi-roller sizing machines have discharge or exit ends X and K, respectively provided with discharge or delivery rolls D D The machines S S operate upon the hat bodies to effect an interfelting of the fibers thereof and hence a shrinking of the felt in the hat body itself, the latter being usually of generally conical shape, frequently called a hat bat, and being passed into and out of the sizing machine in a flattened out condition, approximating a somewhat triangular shape or outline, as indicated at B in Figure l. The sizing machines thus act upon the hat body in two plies or layers.

The two felting machines S S are arranged as shown in Figure 1, preferably side by side, but with their ends reversed so that the exit end X of machine S is adjacent the entry end E of machine S whose exit end X thus becomes positioned adjacent the entry end E of machine S Thedirection or path of travel of hat bodies in machine S is hence upwardly, as'viewed in Figure '1, while the path or direction of travel of hat bodies in machine S" is downwardly.

In front of the feed rollers F of machine S is a table or bench T in front of which stands an operator. 0n the bench T the operator places stacked hat bodies, illustratively in two piles P, and lays the hat bodies from the piles P, P onto the feed rolls F in two rows, as indicated, but w'th the hat bodies in each row preferably overlapped or shingled, preferably with the tips of the bodies headed in the direction of feeding movement, The feed rolls F transport the hat bodies are moved away from the. station or table T According to certain features of our invention, we effect a' return of the hat bodies to the station or table T to be again subjected to a stage of sizing.

In effecting such a return movement, we prefer to utilize the companion machine S which is provided with a bench or table 'I" in front of its feed rollers F and whereanother operator is stationed to shingle the hat bodies from preferably two piles on the table 'I' onto the feed rolls F We therefore prefer tov effectv a stacking or piling up, again illustratively and preferably in two piles, .of the hat bodies as they emerge from the sizing machine S and a preferred form of mechanism is the stacker unit C at the exit end of machine S a similar stacker unit C being positioned at the exit end of machine S to receive and stack hat bodies from the latter for the operator at station T These stacker units are preferably identical and a detailed description of one will suflice for both.

Bearing in mind that the sizing machine operates upon the hat body in two-ply form, the hat body B emerges, still in flattened condition, as indicated in Figure 4", having, therefore, two end creases wand II which extend along lins which otherwise are elements of the cone-shaped next stage of sizing, these lines or elements It, i I

should be shifted so that the next stage does not accentuate the creases and so that the other detrimental actions, such as interfelting of the 7 two plies, will not take place. In Figure 4 is shown an endview of the hat body with the creases or lines It], ll thus shifted, this operation being called crozing. In our preferred'form of method and apparatus, we prefer to effect this crozing operation in the stacker unit.

The stacker unit, referring now to Figures 2, 3 and 4, comprises a main frame l2 having appropriate side frames [3, I4 which provide suitable standards or bearings for several shafts or rotary members that extend crosswise of the frame. Thus, at the front or entry end of the unit is-provided a pair of bearings for the shaft or trunnions [5 of a drum I6 whose axial length is commensurate with that of the delivery rolls of the sizing machine, the frame l2 being pro-' vided with suitable supports, legs or standards to support the unit at the exit end of the sizing machine and with the drum l6 alined with and in close proximity to the delivery rollers, as is belts I! pass over pulleys or a suitably subdivided drum rotatably supported by the trunthis succession of hat bodies at suitable speed provided in the side frames l3, H. The belts I! are appropriately tensioned and the upper side or reach l1 thereof, as viewed in Figure 3, is

preferably substantially in line with the upper The belts are driven so that the upper reach l'l' moves to-the right, as viewed in Figure 3, and this drive is preferably ,eflected by driving the shaft i3 andhence the crowned or pulleylike drums l9, one for each belt and preferably crowned as shown in Figure 4. Suitable ten- ,making the upper reach 24' move slower than sioning of each belt I1 is achieved by any suit-H able means, illustratively as by'a flanged guide idler 20 (Figure 3), positioned adjacent the drum i6 and acting also to, guide the leading side ofthe beltonto and hold it in its proper position about the drum l6. Each idler 20 may be mounted in a suitable L-shaped bracket 2|, and all of the brackets may be mounted to pivot on a crossrod 22 extending between the side frames l3, l4,

each bracket 2| having connected to it a spring 23 appropriately anchored and tensioned to main-,-

tain the tensioning action of the idler on the belt. Each belt i1 is provided with acompanion and coacting belt 24 mounted and driven so that its lower reach 24 is pressed into contact with the upper reach H" and moves in the same direction as the latter. An illustrative mounting and drive for the belts 24 may comprise two drums 25 and 26 positioned respectively over the drums l6 and i9. Drums 25, 26 are preferably mounted so' as to be pressed downwardly toward their respective companiondrums l6 and it; for this purpose, thetshaft or trunnions 21 of drum 25 may be rotatably mounted or journaled in spaced end arms 28, 28 (Figures 3 and 2) suitably held in proper alinement' and pivoted'on studs 29 in the side frames l3, I4.

Drum. 26 may be similarly mounted and hence has its shaft 30 rotatably supported in spaced parallel arms 3|, suitably held in proper alinement, and pivoted on studs 32 suitably supported in the side frames I3, I4. Suitable springs 33 (Figures 2 and 3) operate upon the oscillatable or pivoted mountings of the drums 25 and 26 to press them yieldingly downwardly towardtheir respective companion drums |6 audit, and conveniently the springs 33 are connected at their ends to downward extensions or lever arms on Figure -l) from the exit end of the sizing 'machine, illustratively in two rows, they are thusthe supporting arms 28 and 3|, as is better shown in Figure 3.

Suitable means are provided to limit the ex tent to which the springs 33 may swing the drums 25 and 26 and hence the endsof the lowerreach 24 of thebelts 24 downwardly toward their respective companion belts, and such means may comprise adjustable stop members which may take the form of threaded members or screws 34, one for each arm, threaded into and supported by suitable extensions or brackets 35 related to the side frames 3 and I4 (see also Figure 4).

The drum 25, like the drum |6, may be and preferably is a straight cylindrical drum. Drum 26, as is better shown in Figure 4, comprises a plurality of pulley-like drums, one for each drum i9, and like the latter, drums 26 are preferably crowned. The belts 24 are maintained under suitable tension, each preferably by its own flanged idler 36 (Figures 3 and 2), positioned adjacent the drum 25 to guide and hold the leading side of the belt 24 in, proper position on the drum 25. Each guide idler 36 may be mounted in a suitable frame 31 mounted to oscillate or pivot on a supporting cross-rod 33 carried by the side frames .|3, |4, a suitable spring 39-acting upon the guide roller framewith suflicient force to. maintain the belt under suitable tension.

Belts 24 arealso preferably made of rubber t 3 and while the adjacent reaches viewed in Figure 3, movein the same direction and along the path of travel of the hats as they a are discharged from the sizing machine and its deliveryrollers, we maintain a'suitable 'diilerential of-linear' speedof these two reaches, as by the lower reach in order that as each hat body is enteredbetween them and moved conjointly by them in a direction toward the right, as viewed in Figure 3, the 'two belts respectively grip the upper and lower plies or layers of the hat body B, the one belt tending to move itshat ply or layer faster. than the other, and thus effecting the crozing above-described in reference particularly to Figures 4' and 4.- Thus, the

creases or lines |0-|| in the hat body when it enters this unit of mechanism, beinglike that shown in Figure 4 are shifted to positions like that indicated in, Figure 4. Illustrative surface speeds of the belts may be about 365 feet per minute for belt reach I7 and about 325 feet per minute for belt reach 24'.

The rubber-of the belts or of their active or i drum l6. The greater the gripping by the belts by the two plies of the hat body, the more rapidly is the speed differential made effective to. croze.

As the hat bodies emerge in succession (see passed into this unit of mechanism and the hat bodies are successively crozed. This crozing action takes place principally in that region of the two reaches i1?- and 24 of the two sets of belts that is nearer the drums i6 and 25.

Asabove indicated, the crozer and stacker unit is preferably a self-contained unit so that it may be easily positioned in relation to a known type of multi roller sizing machine; accordingly, it

is preferred that its parts are driven independently of the drive of the sizing machine itself.

An illustrative driving arrangement may comprise an electric motor 40 (Figures 2 and 4) suitably supported by the main frame vided with suitable driving connections to effect the drive of the belts in the proper directions and at the proper speeds. Thus, there may be associated with the motor 45 a gear box 4| into which extends the shaft 42 of the motor which carries a pinion 43 (see Figure 49). The gear box rotatably supports a stud shaft 44 which is driven from motor pinion 43 by a gear 45, shaft 44 extending through the gear box and being 1 preferably alined with the shaft l3 of the drums I9 to which it is coupled by a shaft coupling 46 (Figure 4.). By this gearing drums I9 are driven at a speed appropriate for the belts l1.

Gear box 4| also has journaledin it a stud shaft 41 which carries a gear 43 meshing with the gear 45 and. externally of the gear box 4|,

the shaft 41 (see Figure 4) carries a sprocket 49 which by a chain 50 (Figure 2) extends to e' of the drum-25. By

sprocket 5| on the shaft 21 this compact and simple gearing the proper directions of drive of the upper and lower belts is achieved and the diflerentialin linear speed Ii.- and u, as

I2 and pron,

between the belts may be achieved by appropriate gear ratios between the ears 45 and 46 (Figure 4') or'between the sprockets l9 and 5| (Figure 2) or both.

As above noted, the hat bodies, passing through the apparatus in illustratively two rows, should now be stacked in two piles. To effect such stacking, the belts above-described are preferably driven at speeds, illustratively those mentioned above, that are high as compared to the rate of movement of the hat bodies themselves into, through or out of the sizing machine itself, and this speed is sufliciently high to cause the hat bodies to emerge from in between the belt reaches I! and 24, at the right-hand end thereof as viewed in Figure 3, with sufficient velocity to be actually cast or thrown through the air and onto a suitable receiving table or support, illustratively the support 52 (Figure 1) for the stacker unit C or the support 53 for the stacker unit C", onto which the hats of the two rows are cast or stacked in two piles as indicated in Figure-l.

To insure proper casting and stacking action, we prefer to cross-rib or cross-crease each hat body to give it sufli'cient rigidity after emergence from the belts-so that it will maintain its substantially' fiat condition and land fiatwise' on the preceding hat body, thus to stack the hat bodies up on the receiving support. Such cross-ribbing we preferably achieve by the coaction .of the drums 26 and I9 with the rubber belts. The latter, as shown inthe drawings, are suitably spaced from each other, being arranged invertical pairs 24 and I1. Intervening the crowned like or annular flanges 54 of substantial thickness and peripherally rounded off so as not to mar or injure the hat bodies with which they are to contact. Intervening the drums or pulleylike portions 26 on the shaft 30 are annular recesses or gro'oves 55 respectively juxtaposed to the flanges 54. These grooves or recesses 55 are, so far as their effective portions are concerned, accentuated or deepened by the thickness of the belts 24 to either side of each while the radial 3, at aspeed commensurate with the speed at which the hat bodies are cast out from in between the two-belts, and drum 56 guides the hat body upwardly to give it a suitable trajectory and by its rotation prevents diminution'of velocity of movement of the hat body.

The drum 56 is driven at an appropriate speed by suitable driving connections with the motor 40; these may comprise a stud shaft/68 rotatably supported with respect to the gear box and driven from the motor pinion 63. (Figure 4) by a gear 59, shaft 56 being coupled to shaft 51 as at 66 I pulley-like drums I9 on the shaft [8 are disk-- (Figure 2). I I

Preferably, also, there is provided a curved guide plate 6| (Figures 2 and 3) suitably supported as by the side frames I3, H, and preferably upwardly convex and upwardly inclined so as to insure a suitably high trajectory for the hat bodies, guide plate 6| being at a higher elevation that the. receiving support 52 or 53 (Figure 1) so that a hat pile of appropriate height may be stacked. Ii desired and preferably a drum 6|, substantially a duplicate of the drum 56, may be used in place of the guide plate 6|, as shown in Figure 4 drum 6 I is preferably at a higher elevation than drum 56 and its shaft or trunnions 6| may be journaled in the side frames l3, l4. It is-driven at substantially the same speed-and in the same direction as drum 56, as by the train of gears 6l If desired, a baflie or back plate (not shown in the drawings) may be related to the receiving supports to aid in vertically lining up the hats as they are successively cast onto the pile. 1

The hat bodies, it might be noted, pass through the crozer and stacker at a velocity or speed that is high in comparison'to the speed of movement "of the hat bodies through the sizing machine; whereas a number of hat bodies are at one time being operated upon by'the sizing machine, in"

the preferred form and due to the preferred relative speeds of the various parts, the crozer and stacker unit handles one hat body at a time.

Having 'thus crozed and stacked the several rows of hats emerging from the'sizing machine S of Figure l, we prefer that the receiving supdimension of the flanges 54 is suflicient to cause themto enter into these accentuated grooves or recesses, somewhat as indicated in Figure 4.

Accordingly, as thehat body is rapidly brought by the belt reaches 2 and I! into the region or adjusted by adjusting the stop members 34 that limit the approach of the drums 26 toward the drums I9. Each hat body is thus stiffened sufficiently to maintain its flat condition as it is cast out from in'between the two belts and literally flung onto the receiving support.

Preferably, certain aidsare provided-for this last-mentioned action. These may comprise a drivendrum 56 (see Figures 2 and 3) whose shaft or trunnions 51 are journaled in bearings in the .side frames l3, l4, preferably at such an elevation that the upper surface of the drum 56 (see Figure'3) is somewhat higher than the line or plane of contact between the belts. The drum 56 is driven in clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure port 52 therefor be in the form of a conveyor or illustration, we prefer to make up the receiving support 52 out of a plurality of axially alined rollers 63 of an extent sufiicient to extend across the discharge end of the crozer and stacker unit and sufllciently toward the axis (see Figure l) of the companion sizing machine S to reach the end of the bench or table T where the second operator is stationed. In Figure 1 the rollers 63 are' so shown.

These rollers are suitably journaled in side frames 64, 65 of an apparatus built as a separate or distinct unit or machine, as shown in Figure 5, the frame 64-65 being of avheight to aline the upper portions of the rollers 63 with the upper.

face of the table or bench T all as indicated in Figure 5'.

Suitable means are provided for effecting the drive of the rollers 63 inunison and in a direction to move the stacks or piles of hats in a direction toward the table or bench. A preferred arrangement of drive comprises a driving chain 66 which passes over and meshes with asprocket 61 on the shaft of each roller 63, chain 66 passing upwardly over the sprockets 61 and thence to a sprocket 68 driven through suitable gearing (not I shown) housed in a gear box '69 from a motor "j Motor 10 and its gear box 69 are suitably built he effects movement of the two piles just stacked,

by the stacker unit in a direction toward his bench T"; this he achieves by operating a push button switch 13 positioned conveniently with respect to his bench, as indicated in Figure 5. Switch 13 is connected by a circuit ll, 15 to an,

.electromagnetically controlled relay switch, generally indicated at 16 in Figure 5, and which may be of any suitable or known construction and arrangement; operation of the push button 13 thus causes the switch 16 to close the circuit of motor 18 and start the motor in operation and the latter, through the gear reduction mechanism 89, effects a drive of the supporting roller 83 and hence effects a movement of the two stacks of hats toward the operator's table. Preferably, the switching arrangement is such that the relay switch 18, when initially energized by the push button I3, not-only closes the motor circuit but also holds it closed even though the push button 13 is released. And preferably, the .motor is stopped only after a certain range of travel of the two stacks of hats has taken place. For this latter purpose, we prefer to position a aaaasva matically, to insure that the general sub-division of the entire lot of hats undergoing treatment, initially into several pairs of groups or piles, is by the operators substantially maintained. Thus, we prefer to provide for the automatic actuation of the transfer mechanisms in the event that the operator or operators fail manually to actuate them as by the push button switch l3,thus to prevent the stacker or stackers from piling up too many hat bodies in the pile or piles on the conveyors.

An illustrative and possible form of such automatic control or supervisory means may comprise, at each transfer mechanism, a photoelectric' or light-responsive cell 82 and a suitable source of light, such as an incandescent lamp bulb 83, preferably provided with suitable means,

' such as a lens 84, for concentrating the light in a beam, indicated at 85, onto the light-sensitive electrode 88 of the photoelectric cell 82, the latter and the source of light being suitably positioned, as is better shown in Figure 6, so that the stop'switch H adjacent the reach I56 of the chain 88, with its operating or control-member 18 positioned in the path of movement of a cam or trip 18 of which a suitable number are secured to the chain at appropriately spaced intervals. In- Figure 5, in view of the preferred sequence of steps in carrying out one method of operation, two such trips 18 are shown on the chain 88. Moreover, these trips are so positioned that once the starting button I3 has been actuated to start the movement of two stacks from the full line positions thereof, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, the motor and hence the conveylng action ofthe rollers is stopped by a trip I8 actuating the stop switch control member 18 when the two stacks have reached the broken line positions just to one side of the operator'sbench or table. 'Stop switch i1 is connected by conductors 88, 8| to the relay or electromagnetic Switch 1.6.

With the two stacks or piles of hats thus moved to the operator's table or bench, the operator removes them from the transfer rollers" $3 and positions them on his table, and by hand lays them in shingled fashion onto the feed rollers of thesizing machine. In the instant case and referring to Figurev 1, these hat bodies are laid onto the feed rollers F -of the sizing machine S.

While the transfer of the two stacks to the ,table 'I' has. been taking place, as above described, the operator at station T operates the transfer mechanism 53 by actuating a push' button 13 at his bench to move two piles, stacked by the crozer and stacking unit C, over to his bench or table '1, and he" commences shingling the hats in, two rows onto the feed rollers F of the sizing machine S These operations are maintained until the hat bodies have been shrunk or brought down to the desired size or dimensions. Preferably we, provide certain supervisory means which we prefer to have function autovertical projection of the axis of the beam of light intersects the places where the stacker unit casts or stacks the hat bodies. Moreover, the parts are so'positioned, preferably adjustably by any suitable means (not shown) so that the height of the axis of the beam 85, the latter being preferably horizontal, is spaced above the plane of the receiving surface or of the conveyor rollers 63 by a distance equal to the height of the pile of the desired number of hat bodies.

Accordin y, if either operator fails to actuate the transfer mechanism at an appropriate time interval corresponding substantially to the stacking or piling up of the desired number of bat bodies, the continued operation of the stacker continues to. stack up the hat' bodies beyond the desired number or point and thus one or the other of the growing piles of hat bodies soon grows to a height suflicient to interrupt the light beam 85 thus causing a diminution or interruption in the flow of current in the circuit of the light-sensitive electrode 86 and-the companion electrode 81 of the photo-cell 82. This change -or stoppage of current flow we make effective. through a relay switch diagrammatically indi matically indicated at 9|, may be employed to furnish a suitable source of potential for the circuit of the photo-cell 82 and also to amplify changes in current flow of the circuit of the photo-cell, the thus amplified output being preferablyconnected to the energizing winding of the relay switch 88. The details of such circuit arrangements and apparatus need not be shown and any suitable or known circuit for this purpose, preferably deriving its initial source of energy from'the usual power circuit, may be used. If desired, the control or supervisor circuits of the several transfer mechanisms may be connected together so that the several transfer mechanisms, illustratively those at 52 and 53,

are simultaneously set' in operation by either photoelectric cell circuit, depending upon which cell-has its beam of light cutoff first. Should thetransfer mechanisms be thus set into operation, a trip IS on the chain drive brings the mechanism to a halt as above described.

The transfer mechanisms 52 and 53 are, as above noted, preferably built as separate units, as is better shown in Figure 5, and thus, with the unitary structures of the crozer and stacker units C and C the multi-roller sizing machines, of any suitable form or construction, may be readily arranged and assembled with these units to bring about the steps of operation above briefly described.

In a preferred form of method, a given lot of hats, say, for example, sixteen dozen hats, is at the outset divided into eight equal piles, where two multi-roller sizing or felting machines are arranged as in Figure 1. Each operator takes four piles, placing two on the table directly in front of him and two piles at his left as, for example, upon the adjacent end of the conveyor rollers 63. With the sizing machines S and S set into operation by their respective motors "or other prime movers and the crozer and stacker units C and C set into motion by their respective motordrives, the two operators feed the hats ,onto the feed rollers from the two piles on their respective tables, shingling them as above described. As soon as the two piles before each, operator have thus been disposed of, each operator turns to his left and places the two reserve piles onto the bench before him and starts feeding or placing them in shingled fashion in two rows' on the feed rollers of the sizing machine adjacent his bench.

By this time the two crozers and stackers with their respectively associated sizing machines will have started the delivery of the hats fed initially by one operator onto the transfer mechanism adjacent the other operator, stacking the hat bodies of the two rows emerging from each sizing machine onto the transfer mechanism. When the stacking of the two sets-of hats initially handled by the two operators has been completed; the two operators push their respective starting buttons I3 and the transfer mechanisms are started as above described; the mechanism 52 moves the two piles initially handled by the operator at station T over to-station 'I' where the operator places them on the bench and starts shingling them onto the feed rolls F to start their travel back toward the initial operator,

. while mechanism 53 transfers the hat bodies inioperator and'shingled onto the feed rollers F to start them back to their station of origin T These sequences are repeated with respect to each pair of piles of hat bodies initially fed by the respective operators, and the entire sequence of steps is repeated as many times as. is necessary to have completed the felting or shrinking of the hat bodies to bring them down to the desired tightness of texture and dimensions. Substantial continuity of operation of the sizing machines is achieved, loss of time and waste motions or movements of the operators eliminated and by insuring the manual handling of the hat bodies at appropriate stages supervision of the actions of the various machines or mechanisms on the hat bodies is assured since the operators, in individually handling each hat body, may scrutinize and inspect it to insure the desired actions of the various mechanisms.

If it is desired to insure better synchronism in carrying out the steps above described, the oil"- cuit arrangement like that of Figure 5, at station '1', may be suitably interlocked with the control arrangement at station T an illustrative arrangement may be like that shown in Figure 8 where the push button switches 13, I3 at the stations T and 'I' are arranged, with respect to their respective relay switch mechanisms 16, I6 so that the latter are not operated to start their respective motors and hence transfer mechanisms unless and until both push button switches 13 are actuated. Such an arrangement may be effected by arranging the two push button switches l3, 13 in series and this may be done also by including in the series circuit the corresponding windings or coils of the two relay switches l6.

16. The circuit, therefore, may comprise the push button switch 13 at station T conductor 92, push button switch 13 at station T2, conductor 93, relay of the, control switch", conductor 94, relay of the other control switch 18, and by way of conductor 95 to the push button switch 13 at station T respective transfer mechanisms 53 and 52 are preferably left to act independently under the.

control of their respective trips.

Accordingly, neither operator can initiate the sets the transfer mechanisms into actuation should the operator or operators fail to efiect shifting of the two piles of hat bodies, and thus the grouping or sub-division of the initial lot of sixteen dozen hats, into four pairs of piles or groups, is in general maintained throughout the operation of the apparatus.

If it is desired to have the supervisory controls effect substantial synchronization, the output or relay circuits of the photo-electric cell arrangements at the two stations may be interlocked in any suitable way, for example, as shown in Figure 8, where, instead of having the relay switch 88 of each photo-cell circuit control the starting of the motor' of its associated transfer mechanism, the relay switches 88 of all of the photo-cell circuits are arranged conjointly to inaugurate the actuation simultaneously of all of the transfer mechanisms. -This may be achieved by arranging the relay switches 88 in series so that the closure of all of them is necessary to effect energization of the motor-starting switches of the various transfer mechanisms. Where the several push button switches 13 at the various stations are already arranged in' series, as shown in Figure 8, this may be accomplished in a simple. way by connecting the serially arranged relay switches 88 in parallel with the serially arranged push button switches I3. Thus, aconductor 96 may connect the two relay switches 88 in series and conductors 91 and 98 may connect them in parallel with the serially connected push button, switch 13, as shown in Figure 8. 1

Accordingly, though one sizing and stacking apparatus may be somewhat delayed in handling a particular group or groups of hats as compared with the action of another such apparatus,

"the several transfer mechanisms are by this their work on their respective groups of hats.

Thus, the infeeding of hat bodies by the various The two stop switches 11 at the various .of the groups.

p p 2,288,572 operators; can commence substantially simultaneously and synchronismof carryin out th various steps better insured. r

If it is desired to achieve greater precision of supervisory control, we prefer to employ a photocell arrangement as is better shown in Figures 7 and 9; In this'connection, it might be noted that itmay sometimes be necessary to maintain quite definitely the original segregation of the groups or sub-divisions of the hat bodies, par-' ticularly where there may be diiferences as to qualities; or the like, between the hat bodies of If, in such case, the photo-cell arrangement of Figure 5 is employed, it might be possible that the supervisory controls might be prematurely actuated if, for example,

the physical stacking of the hat bodies in piles onto the transfer mechanisms were to take place with some degree of non-uniformity; thus, it might happen that one or more' hats of one pile are more loosely stacked than the hats of another pile and thus the light beam might be cut off and' the transfer mechanisms set into actuation somewhat prematurely, leaving one or two hats lacking from a pile. With the arrangement of Figures 7 and 9, such a possibility, though it might be remote, may be definitely precluded.

Accordingly, and referring to Figures 7 and 9,

-we prefer to position the photo-cell and the light beam so that the latter is affected by the movement of the hat bodies of the group in a direction I place of stacking and hence that the beam of light from the former to'the,

latter may be affected by the hat bodies moved along toward the point of stacking.) I

Where the apparatus is of sufficient width to handle several rows of hat bodies, such as thetwo rows above described and'better shown in Figure 1, a light beam and photo-cell is arranged for each row, and where the delivery or conveying mechanism is in the form of rollers like the delivery rollers D or D, the light beam is directed to the photo-cell through the space between two adjacent rollers, preferably between those two rollers that are nearest the entry end of the stacker and crozer unit.

Thus; referring to'Figures 7 and 9, we may position two sources of light or lamp bulbs 83 and 83' just in advanceof the stacker unit C and above the delivery rolls D 'to direct beams of light respectively to the photo-cells 82 and relay switches as manned by the photo-cells 82 and 82'' are preferably arranged in series, as

shown in Figure 9, so that both relay switches- 88 have to be actuated in order to energize the D (Figures 1 and 7), the two light beams energizing the photo-cells 82 and 82 are interrupted by the movement of these two rows of hat bodies.

That interruption'of the light beams may be --utilized to maintain the relay switches 88 unerator at station T has not already pushed the pushnbutton switch I2. A similar action takes place atthe remaining station orstations and associated photo-cell circuits. 1

The hat bodies, moving in the several rows to interrupt the light beam or beams usually move in a continuous stream, more or less overlapped or shingled; it is possible, however, that ther might be a small spacing between two v successive hat bodies of one row, such-a spacing, when it registers with the spacing between the rollers between which the light beam passes, would effect an energization of the photo-electrio cell. Preferably, however, the relays 88 are made slow-acting so' that though they become energized in such a case, actual actuation of the armature or contact member is delayed for an appropriate time interval suitable to permit the light beam again to be interrupted as that small spacing between the two successive hat bodies passes'out of coincidence with the beam of light, whereupon immediate deenergization of the photo-cell and hence of the relay winding sakes place without having actuated the relay tse It is also preferred to have the relays slowacting in order that, when the last hat of 'a immediate or instantaneous actuation of the transfer mechanism does not take place but last hat on the stack on the conveyor mecha- 82 positioned-underneath thedelivery rolls, the

beams of light passing downwardly in between the two endmost rollers of the delivery rollers D and positioned so that the paths of movement of the hat bodies in the two rows intersect respectively these two light beams.-

In a similar way, light sources 83 and 83 are operatively related to photo-electric cells 82 and 82 respectively, arranged in a similar way with respect to the stacker unit C", beingiposi- -tioned justin advance of the latter andv hence related to the discharge rollers D. s I

The circuit arrangements and 'the controls may be the same'-as above, described in connec- I tion with Figure 5 exceptingthat, preferably, the

' tion.

nism, before the latter is actually set into operation to transfer the stack toward the next sta- Thus, we insure that; even though the photo-cell arrangement is positioned in advance of the stacker unit, the automatic actuation of the transfer mechanism is in response to the.

to thehandling of successive quantities of hat bodies but, as will now be clear, with theatrangernent of Figures 7 and 9, response is achieved in accordance with precise quantities where, for example, it is desired not to commingle hat cuits.

bodies of one group or quantity with those of another, particularly where there are differences chronism in carrying out the activities of the operators at the various stations, the controls of Figure 9 for the several stations may be suitably interlocked with each. other, illustratively as shown in Figure 10.

I make no claim herein to the crozing and stacking mechanism per se since such mechanism is the subject matter of my co-pending divisional application Serial No. 381,852, filed March 5, 1941, and the said mechanism is claimed in the said divisional application,

As many possible embodiments maybe made of the mechanical features of the above invention and as the art herein described might be varied in various parts, all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to beunderst'ood that all matter hereinabove set forth,

Thus, if the manual controls are to be synchronized, the push button switches 13 at the various stations, as at the stations T and T", may be arranged, illustratively serially, as shown in Figure 10, so that the motors 10 of the several conveyor mechanisms are set into action only after all of the push buttons 13 have been depressed, the illustrative details of the arrangement and operationbeing substantially, in this respect, the same as shown in Figure 8 and earlier above described.

In a generally like manner, the supervisory controls at the various stations may be made if desired to effect such synchronization and at the same time achieve the accuracy of maintenance of segregation into the various groum, by appropriately interlocking the photo-cell cir- Thus, for example, the relay switches 88 of the various photo-cell circuits may be connected in series, as shown inFigure 10, and, as with the arrangement of Figure 8, may be connected in Parallel with the already serially arranged push button switches 13, all as shown in Figure 10. Accordingly, simultaneous actuation of all of the conveyormechanisms may be achieved and disruption of any one group of hat bodies avoided since, with the arrangement of Figure 10, all of the groups are transferred to and stacked on the transfer mechanisms before the latter are simultaneously set into action.

Thus, the various successive steps in the carrying out of the method may, with respect to each station, be dependably carried'on and respective steps kept in reasonable step with one another or in exact synchronization as may be desired. If it is desired to carry on the operations without the supervisory controls, the latter may simply be cut out of the circuit by a suitable switch or the like as, for example, by simply cutting off the power supply units from the power line, thus leaving the control of the transfer mechanisms entirely manual. Or if desired, the push button switches need not be actuated and the control of the transfer mechanisms entrusted to the supervisory arrangements. Wide flexibility of operation or of control is thus possible, and, moreover, also by way of any of the above-described illustrative circuit arrangements. I Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided in our invention a method and apparatus in which the various objects, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, 'are successfully achieved. It will beseen that the apparatus is of high efficiency, is compact and flexible in arrangement, and that increased output may be achieved without detriment to quality of product. a

or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A felting apparatus for felting felt hat bodies and the like comprising means forming a plurality of successively arranged and spaced stations at each of which an operator may be stationed, said apparatus having arranged between each two successive stations a felting mechine having an entry end for hat bodies and an exit end with hat-feeding means at its entry end, said felting machine being positioned with said feeding means at the first of each two successive stations whereby the operatorat said station may successively position hat bodies from a pile at his station onto said feeding means, there being at the exit end of said felting machine means for crozing and stacking in a pile hat bodies discharged from said felting machine, a normally ineffective transfermechanism positioned adjacent each stacking means to receive thereon hat bodies as stacked by said stacking means and having a-pathof movement to transfer a pile of hats to the next succeeding station, actuating means for making said transfer mechanism effective, and control means responsive to the passage of hat bodies along a path from the exit end of said felting machine to said transfer mechanism and operating upon the movement of a certain quantity of hat bodies through said path for causing said actuating means to make said transfer mechanism effective.

2. A felting apparatus for felting felt hat bodies and the like comprising means forming a plurality of successively arranged and spaced stations at each of which an operator may be stationed, said apparatus having arranged between each two successive stations a felting machine having an entry end for hat bodies and an exit end with hat-feeding means at its entry end, said felting machine being positioned with said feeding means at the first of each two successive -means, operable by the operator, for making said transfer mechanism effective, and means operativev in response to the stacking of a certain j quantity of hat bodies by a stacker means for making said transfer mechanism effective in the event that the operator at the adjacent station fails to operate said manually controllable means.

3. A felting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said control means'comprises means forming a source of light and a light-responsive -cell illuminated thereby, said source and said cell being positioned so that the beam of light from the former to the latter is, traversed by the path of movement of hat bodies in a direction from the said exit end of said felting machine toward said cro'zing and stacking means, whereby said light beam is interrupted by hat bodies moving along said path, and electro-responsive relay means responsive to changes in the output cirstacked thereon. hat bodies and,- when made efl'ec tive, to move hat bodies laterally to the infeed end of the other machine; and means responsive to a certain extent of stacking operation by the stacking means for making the transfer mechanism effective. v v

8. An apparatus for felting hat bodies and v the like comprising two felting-machines each cuit.of said cell for controlling said actuating stacking up of hat bodies, and electro-responsive relay means responsive to changes in the output circuit of said cell for controlling said actuatable means. v

5; A felting apparatus for felting hat bodies or the like comprising means forming a plurality of stations serially arranged about a closedcircuit, successive stations having interposed therebetween and serially arranged in the direction of said circuit felting and crozing means and a normally ineffective transfer mechanism for re- 'ceiving hat bodies discharged by said felting and crozing means, whereby the operators at'said stations may by hand and simultaneously supply hat'bodies to the felting and crozing means respectively associated with their stations, and means responsive to the discharge of hat bodies I by said felting and crozing means for making said transfer mechanisms effective, thus to advance hat bodies for felting and crozing action in the respectively next succeeding felting and crozing means throughout said circuit.

6. An apparatus for felting hat bodies and the like comprising two felting and crozing means each having an infeedend and a discharge end and arranged Substantially side by side but reversed end for' end so that the infeed end of one is laterally disposed to the discharge end of the other, whereby the relative directions of movement-of hat bodies through said two means are opposite, there being adjacent the discharge 'fer mechanisms, and control means f'or'the latter operable to effect actuation of said transfer mechanisms in substantial synchronism with the rate at which said two felting and crozing means respectively effect operation upon hat bodies.

7. An apparatus for felting hat bodies and the like comprising two felting machines each having an infeed end and a discharge end with stacking means at the discharge end, for stack- 'having an infeed endand a discharge end with stacking means at the-discharge end for stacking hat bodies one on top of the other'to form a pile, said felting machines with their respective stacking means being arranged substantially side by side but reversed end for end'so that the infeed end of one is adjacent to but laterally displaced from the point of hat stacking by the stacking means of the other, a normally ineffective transfer mechanism for each of said two machines and each positioned adjacent the stacking means of one machine to receive and have stacked thereon hat bodies and, when made effective, to

move hat bodies laterally to the infeed end of the other machine, there being at the infeed endof each of said two machines an operators station where an operator may by hand supply hat bodies individually to the infeed end of the machine,

means controllable by an operator for making the transfer mechanism effective to transfer a stack a of hat bodies from the discharge end of one machine to the infeed end'of the other, and means operative in response to a certain extent of stacking operation for making the transfer mechanism effective.

9. An apparatus for felting hat bodies and the like comprising a plurality of sizing machines, each having an infeed end and a discharge end, of the type in'which hat bodies are supplied to the infeed end in flattened out and crozed form, said sizing machines being arranged in series with an operators station at each infeed end, there being interposed between two successive machines in said series crozing and stacking means for successively crozing hat bodies received from the discharge end of one of said two machines and for flattening each hat body out and discharging it in flattened condition at substantial velocity and control means whereby said conveyor means may be made effective at appropriate intervals to ing hat bodies one on top of the other to form a pile, said felting machines ,with their.respectivestacking means being arranged substantially side by side but reversed ,end for end so that the infeed end of one is adjacent to but laterally dismachines and each positioned adjacent the stack- .means 'of one machine to receive and have transfer a stack of flattened hat bodies to the infeed station of the other of said twomachines.

10. A felting apparatus for felting hat .bodies or the like comprising means forming a plurality of stations serially arranged'about a closed cir- I cuit, successive stations having interposed therebetween and serially arranged in the direction of said circuit felting and crozing means and a normally ineffective transfermechanism for receiv hat bodies to the felting and crozing means respectively associated with their stations, and control means for the transfer. mechanisms com-.

prising light-responsive cellmeans, one for each felting and crozing means and associated transfer mechanism, and each cell means positioned so that its illumination is affected in response to. the passage onto the transfer mechanism of a certain quantity of hat bodies. J v

11. ,A felting apparatus for felting hat bodies or the like comprising means forming a plurality of stations serially arranged about a closed circuit, successive stations having interposed therebetween and serially arranged in the direction of said circuit means for successively felting, crozing and stacking hat bodies and a normally ineffective transfer mechanism for having stacked onto it hatbodies discharged from said felting, crozing and stacking means, whereby the operators at said stations may by hand and simultaneously supply hat bodies to the felting, crozing and stacking means respectively associated with their stations, and control means for said transfer mechanisms comprising light-responsive cell means, one for each transfer mechanism, and each cell means positioned so that its'illumination is affected in response to the stacking onto the transfer mechanism of a certain quantity of hat bodies, I

12. An apparatus for operating upon hat bodies and the like comprising a plurality of machines arranged in succession and each having an infeed end and a discharge end andhaving rotary and belt, means for operating upon hat bodies entered therein at said infeedend and for discharging them at said discharge en'd, alplurality of normally ineffective transfer mechanisms each positioned to receive thereon hat bodies discharged by one of said machines and, when made effective, to move them to the infeed end of a direction from the infeed end to the discharge a succeeding machine, there being adjacent each of said transfer means an operator's station, a control means at each of said stations and operable by the operators respectively thereat, and means responsive to actuation of all of said control means to make said plurality of transfer mechanisms effective. I

-13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 in which said control means at said stations comprises switch means at each station, and said lastmentioned control-responsive means comprises an electric motor for each transfer mechanism and relay switch means responsive to the action ofall of said'first-mentioned switch means to effect energization of said motors.

14. An apparatus for operating upon hat bodies and the like comprising a plurality of machines arranged in succession and each having an infeed end and a discharge end and having rotary and belt means for operating upon hat bodies entered therein at said infeed end and for discharging them at said discharge end, -a plurality of normally ineffective transfer mechanisms each positioned to receive thereon hat bodies discharged by one of said machines and. when made effective, to move them to the infeed end of a succeeding machine, a control means, one for each machine and the transfer mechanism at its discharge end, responsive to the passage through.

the machine of hat bodies, and means operating in response to actuation of all of said control means for making said plurality of transfer mechanisms effective.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 in which each of said control means comprises a light-responsive cell means, and said last-mentioned responsive means for making said transfer mechanisms effective comprises electro-responsive means, one for each cell means with interlocking circ'uit connections making each dependent upon the other.

16. An apparatus for operating upon hat bodies moving hat bodies in a plurality of rows in a direction from the infeed end to the discharge end, a transfer mechanism related to said machine, control means for said transfer mechanism, andmeans responsive to and dependent upon the movement of hat bodies in all of said rows for controlling said control means.

17. An apparatus for operating upon hat bodies and the like comprising a machine having an infeed end and a discharge end with means extending therebetween for operating upon and for moving hat bodies in a plurality of rows in end, said machine discharging the hat bodies therefrom in a plurality of piles, one for each row of hat bodies, a transfer mechanism related .to said machine, control means therefor, photo cell control means for said control means, and means positioning said photocell means so that its illumination is affected by the piling up of hat bodies in said plurality of piles.

18.. An apparatus for operating upon hat bodies and the like comprising a machine having an infeed end and a discharge endwith means extending therebetween for operating upon and for moving hat bodies in a plurality of rows in a direction from the infeed end to the discharge end, transfer mechanism related to said machine, control means therefor, and a plurality of photocell control means, respectively allocated to the paths of movement of hat bodies in said plurality of rows and to have their illumination respectively affected. by the passage of hat bodies along said charge end of one machine to the infeed end of another of'said machines, control means to make said actuating means effective to advance hat bodies in said direction, and control means responsive to a certain movement effected by said,

conveyor means of hat bodies in said direction for making said conveyor means ineffective.

and the like comprising a machine having aninfeed end and a discharge end with means ex-.

20. An apparatus as. claimed in claim 19 in which said first-mentioned control means'comprises manual control means whereby an operator may manually initiate movement of hat bodies by said conveyor means and supervisory control means responsive to a certain handling by said apparatus of hat bodies for making said conveyor means effective inthe event that the operator fails to. operate said manual control means at an appropriate time in the cycle of operations, said control means for making said conveyor means ineffective being operative in either case.

21. A felting apparatus for felting hat bodies or the like comprising means forming a plurality of stations serially arranged about a closed circuit, successive stations having interposed therebetween and serially arranged in the direction of said circuit felting and crozing means and a normally ineffective transfer mechanism for receiving hat bodies discharged by said felting and crozing means, whereby the operators at said stations may by hand and simultaneously supply hat bodies to the-felting and crozing means respectively associated with their stations, said transfer mechanism, when made efiective, moving hat bodies received thereby in a direction toward the next succeeding felting and crozing means in said circuit, said transfer mechanism having driving means therefor and control means, said control means comprising a start-control for making the drive of the transfer mechanism by said driving means effective and thereby eifect movement of hat bodies in the aforesaid direction and a stop-control for making the drive of the transfer mechanism ineffective and thereby condition it for reception of hat bodies discharged as aforesaid, and means operable in response to movement of the transfer mechanism and actuated substantially upon completion of movement of hat bodies in the aforesaid direction for a-ctuat-- ing said stop-control.

22. A felting apparatus for felting hat bodies or the like comprising means forming a plurality bodies thereon laterally to the infeed end of the arranged in series and having infeed and disof-stations serially arranged about a closed cir-.

cult, successive stations having interposed therebetween and serially arranged in the direction of said circuit felting and crozing means and a normally ineffective transfer mechanism forreceiving hat bodies discharged by said felting and crozing means, whereby the operators at, said stations may by hand and simultaneously supply that bodies to the felting and crozing means respectively associated with their stations, each transfer mechanism having a two-fold control, one of which is a manual start-control positioned at an operator's station and the other of which is an automatic stop-control, means responsive to actuation of said start-control for making the transfer mechanism effective to move hat bodies received thereby in a direction toward the next succeeding felting and crozing means, said automatic stop-control comprising means responsive to the substantial completion of transfer movement of hat bodies by the transfer mechanism to halt the latter for the reception of other hat bodies and also thereby making it ineffective for transfermovement until actuation of said manual control.

23. An apparatus for felting hat bodies and the like comprising two felting machines each having an infeed end and a discharge end with stacking means at the discharge end for stacking hat bodies one on top of the other to form a pile, said felting machines with their respective stacking means being arranged substantially side by side but reversed end for end so that the infeed end of one is adjacent to butlaterally displaced from the point of hat stacking by the stacking means of the other, a normally ineffective transfer mechanism for each of said two machines and each positioned adjacent the stacking means of one machine to receive and have stacked thereon hat bodies and, when made effective, to move hat bodies laterally to the infeedend of the other machine, there being at the infeed end of each of said two machines an operators station where an operator may by hand supply hat bodies in-' dividually to theinfeed end of the machine, driving means for said transfer mechanism, and control means for said transfer mechanism and charge ends for hat bodies, a transfer mechanism having conveyor means with driving means for the latter and positioned to efiect movement by said conveyor means of hat bodies from the dis- ,charge end of one of said machines to the infeed end of the succeeding one of said serially arranged machines, a start-and-s'top control means comprising stop means to halt the drive of said conveyor meansby said driving means and means movable into actuating relation to said stop means in accordance with the movement effected by said conveyor means for actuating said stop 7 means and halt said conveyor means upon completion of movement of a hat body from the discharge end of said one machine to the infeed end of said succeeding machine, said start-and-stop control means comprising also starting control means to initiate and maintain the drive of said conveyor means by said conveyor-driving means 7 to effect movement of another hat body from the discharge end of said one machine toward the ing operation and having a discharge end for hat driving means to give said transfer mechanism a stage of effectiveness to move hat'bodies laterally to the infeed end of the adjacent machine,

said control means comprising start-control means for commencing the drive of said transfer bodies and a machine for performing a felting operation and having an infeed end for hat bodies, said machines being arranged in series,

a transfer mechanism having conveyor means with driving means for the latter and positioned to receive thereon a hat body discharged from the said discharge end of said first mentioned machine upon completion of the felting operation thereon by said first machine and to effect movement of the hat body received thereon to the infeed end of said second-mentioned machine,

means for halting the drive of said conveyor means bysaid driving means, means actuating said halting means and comprising a plurality of spaced elements having means driving them synchronously with the drive of said conveyor means and along a pathadjacent to said halting means for successive actuation of the latter, the

spacing between said elements corresponding to a transfer movement by said conveyor means of a hat body from the discharge end of said firstmentioned-machine to the infeed end of said secondmentioned machine, means for starting and maintaining the drive of said conveyor means by said driving means, and control means for actuating said starting means to commence and maintain the drive of said conveyor means by said conveyor-driving means to move another hat body discharged thereon from the discharge end of said first-mentioned machine, thereby to permit said halting means to be actuated by a sucmechanism and thus initiate said stage of effectiveness and stop-control means having means actuating it in response to completion of movement by the transfer mechanism of stacked hat ceeding one of said spaced elements of said actuating means upon completion of transfer movement by said conveyor means of the hat body to the infeed end of said second-mentioned machine.

- RALPH K. REYNOLDS,

BURLING D. WELLS. 

